Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

Chester L. Brewer letter to Samuel W. Beyer regarding football game at University of Missouri, October 8, 1923

Chester L. Brewer letter to Samuel W. Beyer regarding football game at University of Missouri, October 8, 1923

Title

Chester L. Brewer letter to Samuel W. Beyer regarding football game at University of Missouri, October 8, 1923

Description

Letter written October 8, 1923, by Chester L. Brewer, Director of Athletics at University of Missouri - Colombia at the time, informing Samuel W. Beyer that he would not permit the racially integrated ISU team to play football at Missouri.
University of Missouri
Columbia
RECEIVED OCT 10 1923 SCIENCE DEAN'S OFFICE
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
October 8. 1923.
Prof. S. W. Beyer,
Iowa State College
Ames, Iowa.
Dear Professor Beyer:
We understand from newspaper reports that you have a
colored man playing with your football squad this Fall. I am
quite sure, Professor Beyer, you know conditions here, and know
it is impossible for a colored man to play or even appear on the
field with any team.
This has been discussed in the Missouri Valley for a
good many years and I know that you understand the tradition
that a colored man cannot come here. This whole question is
bigger than our athletics and there is no alternative for us
other than to say that we cannot permit a colored man on any
team that we play. I am writing your Mr. Otapolik also, be-
cause I did not want any misunderstanding or confusion late
in the week.

I hope to see you some time during the Fall and renew
our friendship of the old days. With sincere personal regards,
I am

Very truly yours,
C.L.Brewer,
Director,
B-C

Creator

Brewer, Chester L, 1875-1953.

Source

RS 21/07/023

Publisher

Iowa State University Library Special Collections: http://www.add.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/index.html

Date

1923-10-08
2009-04-14

Rights

U.S. and international copyright laws protect this digital image. Commercial use or distribution of the image is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. For permission to use the digital image, please contact Iowa State University Library Special Collections at archives@iastate.edu For reproductions see: http://www.add.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/services/photfees.html

Relation

Jack Trice Papers, 1923-[ongoing], http://www.add.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/arch/rgrp/21-7-23.html
21-07-023_Trice_01-24-01.tif

Format

1 page
correspondence; letters
image
tif

Type

Text

Identifier

21-07-023_Trice_01-24-01
https://digitalcollections.lib.iastate.edu/

Coverage

Johnny (Jack) Trice was born in Hiram, Ohio in 1902. In 1922, Trice became the first African-American student athlete at Iowa State, participating in track and football. He majored in animal husbandry, with the desire to go to the southern U.S. and use his knowledge to help Black farmers. In the summer after his freshman year, Trice married Cora Mae Starland. They both found jobs in order to support themselves through school. On October 6, 1923, Jack Trice played in his first college football game against the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. During the second play of the game, he broke his collarbone. He insisted he was all right and returned to the game. In the third quarter, University of Minnesota players forced Trice to the ground and crushed him. On October 8, he died from internal bleeding due to injuries received during the game. In 1973, Jack Trice's legacy was renewed and a promotion began to name Iowa State's new stadium after him. In 1974, the Iowa State University Government of Student Body unanimously voted to endorse this effort. In addition, the Jack Trice Stadium Committee compiled more than 3,000 signatures of supporters. An Iowa State University ad hoc committee voted to advise President Robert Parks to name the stadium "Cyclone Stadium." In 1984, the stadium was named "Cyclone Stadium" and the playing field was named "Jack Trice Field." The Government of Student Body, wanting to do more to honor Trice, raised money to erect a statue of Trice in 1987. Due to the persistence of the students, alumni, faculty and staff, and other supporters, the stadium was finally named Jack Trice Stadium in 1997. Find out more about the Jack Trice papers at http://www.add.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/arch/rgrp/21-7-23.html
38.9434817, -92.327627